Fracture-clamp.



1. X. SMITH.

FRACTURE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1915.

1,156,440. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

WI T/VE SSE 3 sol-1n g1. siv irnQ-orwernnrowiv, NEW YORK. 1

' I .FRACTILlREZ-GLAMP;

maniac;

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LJOHN X. SMITH, a

citizen of the United States, and resident ofl/Vatertown, in the county ofYJefferson and State of New, York, have inventedcere tain new and useful Improvements in Fr acture-Clamps, ofwhioh the following is a specification. a 1

11y invention relates to asurgical clamp or splice of general application andparticir larly relates to a bone clamp designed to secure fixation of the bone fragments in case of fractures. I

The universal method used at present in bone setting is to splice the fragments to each other .by means of an apertured plate through which screws are passed into holes drilled into the parts of the bonezon opposite sides of. the fracture. This operation requires surgica-lskill of the highest type and is not possible under all conditions.

Amongthe objects of myinvention are to eliminate numerous obvious objections to the perforating of the bone andto provide a simple form of clamp which will holdthe parts of the bone securely: against all relative movement without injury to' the same and at the same time permit a free circus lation to stimulate the production of osseous tissue. i I attain those objects broadly by provid ing a cylindrical clamp formed of a -plurality of spaced apartandhinged ringsifoi' encircling and securely gripping the bone on opposite sides of thefracture and pro yiding ameans for locking the rings in their setposition. I Various other objects 1 and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying draw ingsand in part will be nore fullyset forth in the following particular description of three forms of mechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construc-v tion and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sideelevationwof a fractured bone show ing a preferred embodiment o f my invention mounted thereon; Figs? and Bare end eleon o the clamp of Fig l hQWiQ-ti op n nd i la ked residen s .Fies sandare each side elevations of modified forms or the device shown in Fig. 1.

j Patented Oct.12,'1915. Application filed lanuary 29; 1915. Seria1No.4,978.

There is illustrated a fractured bone 6 separated from the soft tissue with one fornr-ofnry clamp in position thereon to hold the parts in their set position This clamp compresses a pair of plates? pivotally connected along a longitudinal edge of each plate by a simple hinge 8 with the 1 knuckle 9 and pin 10 thereof disposed on the outside of the clamp, so as to-leave the interior thereof free of pro ections. Longi tudinally spaced fingers 11 project from the edge of each plate opposite the hinged edge and'are curved toward the similar fingers projecting from the other plate to form rings withthe free ends thereof, slightly spaced apart as shown at 12 in Fig. 3,;when the clamp is in closed position. a Any number .of rings positioned sufiiciently close to retain the bone splinters in properfplace may be used and are arranged preferably in sets with an open space 13 therebetween so that the clamp may be positioned with the fracture-centered in thisopen space. The 'fingersco-act to form a substantiallycyli-ndrical and ribbedmemberfor engaging the bone with the hinge and adjacent parts ofthe'plates offset from the bone 50 as :tospace 'the plates, or at least a large portion of the same, away from the bone and thus permit of the free circulation through the periosteum longitudinally of the bone.

The two hinged plates are locked in position about the bone againstopening movementwhich locking is provided in the form illustrated in Fig. '1 by means of a pair of lugs lfixed'to the outside of each plate and eachihaving an undercut edge 15 co-acting to form a key-way 16 therebetween and parallel' to the hinge connection. A key 17 has a sliding fit in the key-Way and acts,' when in positiomto prevent an opening movement of the plates about the hinge pin 10." The th sermembers with the bone. 7

The resiliency inherent in the I sutured, dressedand finally the An alternate form, particularly designed for use in cases where it would be incon: venlent to insert the key lengthwlse, is

illustrated in Fig. 4. In this form a bearv ing button 18 is fixed to the outside of one of the plates and laps the hinge connection.

A cam 19 is pivotally mounted on the other plate opposite the button'and is adapted insertion of a suitable tool, such as a screw driver to tighten the cam 1nto engagement with the button. V

Under some circumstances the positive locking feature may be eliminated'and the plates held resiliently in closed position as shown in the form illustrated in Fig. .5 In this form a coiled spring Qlis carried by the pivot pin 10 and hasopposite endsbearing on the plates to hold the fingersclosed around the-bone. 1

The device ispreferably made of steel, heavily plated with some metal such as silver, as is usual with surgical'instruments of this character. In operation, an incision, of the least POS? sible extent is made in the fleshy part adjacent the bone, the device being opened'is then inserted'about thebone. Should the fracture be transverse of the bone the clasp is positioned with the fracture betweenthe sets of fingers, and should the fracture be longitudinal of the bone, the clamp is positioned with the fracture opposite the free space adjacent the hinge connection. Should the fraction extend in both directions the clamp is so arranged that the least possible amount of metal is disposed across a fracture. The clamp is usually inserted in position by means of an instrument designed to close the fingers of the clasp about the bone so as to closely conform to the configuration thereof. The key of Fig. l' is then driven into position in the key-way or the cam of Fig. 3 rotated therebyto lock the fingers in their bone engaging position encircling each of the parts on opposite sides of the fracture. The incision may then be clamp is removed after the bone has reunited.

By means of a device of this character the fragments of the bone are fastenedj'in'their set position with little relative shiftingf As the bone structure is not drilled theweakening effect of perforating the bone is avoided and the life of the bone is in no way affected. The open spaces allow a free circulation between the parts of the bone and as there is no metal at the fracture, interference with the ossiferous action is minimized. v V

The circular configuration of the fingers tend to accelerate the circular mending .of

or no possibility of the bone tissues and the open space between the ends of the fingers permit the circulation longitudinally of.the bone. 7

Having thus described my invention, I

claimi' '1. A bone clampcomprising a pair of plates hinged together along longitudinal edges, each of said plates having a plurality of fingers projecting from the edge thereof opposite the hinged edge and curved toward the similar fingers projecting from the other plates thereby to form an inclosing structure, each of said plates having a lug projecting from the outside thereof and cohinged edges and a serted in said key-way thereby to prevent relative opening movement-of said plates.

2. A bone clamp comprising a pai-rof plates hinged together along longitudinal edges, each of said plates having a plurality of fingers projecting from the edgeqthereof acting to form a keyway paralleling the key adapted to be inopposite thehinged edge and curved toward acting to form a wedge shaped key-way paralleling the hinged edges and a 'key adapted to be inserted in said key-way thereby to force the plates into different clasping position, so as to prevent relative ment of said plates. I

3. A device of the class describ d comprising a pair of plates, a hinge connection between adjacent edges of saidplates, each plate having a finger projecting from the edge opposite the hinged edge and curved toward the similar finger projecting from the other plate thereby to form a substantially cylindrical clasp with the hinged edges positioned to the outside of the cylindrical outline formed by the fingers so as the hinged part of the device may be spaced from the object clasped by the fingers.

.4. A device of th'e'class described comprising a pair of plates, a hinge connection opening movefrom the object clasped by the fingers and means for locking the plates against an opening movemen 5. A bone clasp including a pair of spaced apart rina bands connected together and each band comprising two separate parts adapted partially to encircle the bone on opposite sides of the fracture and leave the fracture free of any contact withthe clasp H 6. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of'two part rings having a common hinged connection and a key for locking the parts in position, said rings when in locked position having spaced apart ends to permit, free circulation in the bone structure.

7. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of two part rings, a common hinged connection and means adjacent the connection for locking the parts of 1 each ring i2 closed position.

8. i prising a member adapted to be positioned eXteriorly of the fracturedbone and having a plurality of encircle or partially encircle the bone fragments, said parts being rigidly connected and a locking device for holding the parts in their bone engaging positions.

9. A device of the class described, comdevice of'the class described comclamping parts, adapted to I prising a plurality of metal bands having free ends and adapted to engage a bonere-'- siliently t0 holdthe parts thereof infposition and means connecting said bands intermediate their ends for holding the same rigidly in position relative to eachother. I

10. A device of the class described, comprising a plurality of metal bands having free ends and adapted to engage a bone resiliently to hold the parts thereof in position, and means connecting said bands intermediate their ends for holding the same rigidly in position relative to each other, the free ends of said bands being separable to permit the positioning of the bands about the bone.

Signed atNew York in the county of New York and of January, A. 1)., 1915.

l/Vitnesses: 7

H. I. S'rnvnNs, CURTIS J. BEARD.

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

State of New York this 25th day,

JOHN X. SMITH. c 

